Shrub rose plant named `Radpastel&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct shrub rose plant is provided that abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive single yellow blossoms that with maturity fade to blush pink. The plant exhibits vigorous vegetation and a rounding and bushy growth habit. The foliage is ornamental dark green with a semi-glossy finish on the upper surface. The light blossom coloration contrasts nicely with the dark green foliage. The disease resistance is excellent, particularly with respect to black spot, rust and mildews. The plant is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in in the landscape.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Rosa hybrida/Shrub Rose Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Radpastel

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida landscape shrub rose plant of thepresent invention was created at Greenfield, Wis., U.S.A., by artificialpollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had beenstudied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) was the ‘Radquid’variety (non-patented in the United States), and the male parent (i.e.,pollen parent) was the ‘Radcor’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,346).The parentage can be summarized as follows:

‘Radquid’×‘Radcor’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Landscape Shrub rose plant of the presentinvention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive        single yellow blossoms that with maturity fade to blush pink,    -   (b) exhibits a rounding and bushy growth habit,    -   (c) forms vigorous vegetation,    -   (d) forms attractive ornamental dark green foliage with a        semi-glossy finish on the upper surface that contrasts well with        the blossom coloration,    -   (e) exhibits excellent disease resistance particularly with        respect to black spot, rust and mildews, and    -   (f) is well suited for growing as attractive ornamentation in        the landscape.

A new rose variety is provided having attractive single yellow blossomsthat assume a blush pink coloration with maturity, a rounded growthhabit, and excellent disease resistance.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. Itcan be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, publicareas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant isparticularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors upon aninspection of the blossoms. More specifically, the ‘Radquid’ varietyforms dissimilar yellow blossoms combined with a very short growthhabit, and the ‘Radcor’ variety forms dissimilar coral pink blossomshaving a yellow eye.

The new variety of the present invention also can be readilydistinguished from other shrub rose plants including the ‘Radsunny’variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,562) through an inspection of theblossoms. For instance, the yellow blossoms of the ‘Radsunny’ varietyfade to dissimilar near white in the absence a blush pink coloration.

The characteristics of the new variety have been found at Wasco, Calif.,U.S.A., to be homogeneous and stable and to be strictly transmissible byasexual propagation, such as budding, grafting, and the rooting ofcuttings from one generation to another. The new variety reproduces in atrue-to-type manner by such asexual propagation.

The new variety has been named ‘Radpastel’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in a color illustration of this character, atypical flowering specimen of the new variety. The illustrated roseplant of the new variety were approximately two years of age and wereobserved during May while growing outdoors on its own roots at WestGrove, Pa., U.S.A. Buds and blossoms in various stages of maturity areillustrated together with the dark green semi-glossy foliage.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart—1995 Edition or equivalent),London, England. The description is based on the observation oftwo-year-old specimens of the new variety during October while growingoutdoors on their own roots at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A.

-   Class: Landscape Shrub Rose. Cultivar ‘Radpastel’.-   Plant:    -   -   Height.—commonly approach approximately 1 m on average at            maturity.        -   Width.—commonly approach approximately 1 m on average at            maturity.        -   Habit.—rounded and bushy.-   Branches:    -   -   Color.—near Green Group 138A on young stems, and commonly            near Yellow-Green Group 146A on old wood.        -   Thorns.—size: commonly approximately 4 mm in length on            average when young, and approximately 6 mm in length on            average when mature. — color: commonly near Yellow-Green            Group 144C on young stems, and near Grey-Brown Group 199B            when mature.-   Leaves:    -   -   Size.—commonly approximately 7.7 cm in length on average,            and approximately 5.8 cm in width on average for a            five-leaflet leaf.        -   Leaflets.—number. 3, 5, and 7. — length: approximately 3.4            cm on average for a terminal leaflet, and approximately 2.3            cm on average for a lower leaflet. — width: approximately            2.2 cm on average for a terminal leaflet, and approximately            1.6 cm on average for a lower leaflet. — shape: ovate. —            margins: serrate. — texture: generally smooth on the upper            and under surfaces. — overall appearance: attractive dark            green leaves with a semi-glossy upper surface. — color:            (when young): upper surface: near Green Group 137A. under            surface: near Green Group 137C. — color (when fully mature):            upper surface: near Green Group 139A. under surface: near            Green Group 139B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers.—commonly in a cluster of approximately 3            to 5 blossoms per stem.        -   Peduncle.—near Yellow-Green Group 144B in coloration,            commonly approximately 2.8 cm in length on average,            approximately 2 mm in diameter on average, and commonly            covered with small flexible thorns less than 1 mm in length.        -   Sepals.—upper surface: covered with short pubescence, and            commonly near Green Group 143C in coloration. under surface:            commonly smooth, and commonly near Green Group 143A in            coloration. — size: commonly approximately 2.9 cm in length            on average, and approximately 6 mm in width at the base. —            number: five.        -   Buds.—shape: generally ovoid. — length: approximately 2 cm            on average as the calyx breaks. diameter: approximately 1.1            cm on average as the calyx breaks. — color: near Yellow            Group 13C at the point of attachment, and near Red Group 39A            at the apex.        -   Flower.—form: single, cuplike. — diameter: commonly            approximately 7 cm on average when fully open. — color (when            opening begins): upper surface: near Yellow Group 5A at the            point of attachment, transitioning to near Yellow Group 8B            at the apex. under surface: near Yellow Group 10B at the            point of attachment blending to Yellow Group 12C at the            apex. — color (at end of blooming): upper surface: near            Yellow Group 11A at the point of attachment, transitioning            to Yellow Group 11D, and finally to near Red Group 51D at            the apex. under surface: near Yellow Group 10B at the point            of attachment blending to near Yellow Group 11D at the apex.            — fragrance: none noticeable. — petal number: commonly            approximately 10 on average under normal growing conditions.            — petal length: commonly approximately 3.3 cm on average. —            petal width: commonly approximately 3 cm on average. — petal            shape: broadly obovate. — petal margin: entire. — petal            apex: slightly cuspidate. — petal base: broadly cuneate —            petal drop: good, the petals commonly detach cleanly and            freely drop upon full maturity. — stamen number:            approximately 66 on average. — anthers: commonly near Yellow            Group 13A in coloration. — filaments: approximately 6 mm in            length, and the coloration is near Yellow Group 13C. —            pollen: commonly present in a moderate quantity, and near            Yellow Group 13A in coloration. — pistils: separate and            free, and commonly number approximately 17 on average. —            styles: commonly approximately 4 mm in size, and near Yellow            Group 4D in coloration. — stigma: commonly less than 1 mm in            size, and near Yellow Group 3B in coloration. — receptacle:            commonly narrowly ovoid in shape, approximately 5 mm in            diameter, smooth in texture, near Yellow-Green Group 144A in            coloration, and with achenes commonly being present on the            bottom and wall. — hips: substantially round in            configuration, approximately 1.3 cm in diameter on average,            and commonly near Orange Group 25A in coloration. — seeds:            approximately 6 mm in length on average, approximately 4 mm            in diameter on average, and near Greyed-Yellow Group 161A in            coloration.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—vigorous.        -   Blossoming.—abundant and substantially, commonly with            reflushing into late summer.        -   Resistance to diseases.—excellent, particularly with respect            to black spot, rust, and mildews.

Plants of the ‘Radpastel’ variety have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possiblethat the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in lightintensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmentalconditions.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Landscape Shrub rose plant characterizedby the following combination of characteristics: (a) abundantly andsubstantially continuously forms attractive single yellow blossoms thatwith maturity fade to blush pink, (b) exhibits a rounding and bushygrowth habit, (c) forms vigorous vegetation, (d) forms attractiveornamental dark green foliage with a semi-glossy finish on the uppersurface that contrasts well with the blossom coloration, (e) exhibitsexcellent disease resistance particularly with respect to black spot,rust and mildews, and (f) is well suited for growing as attractiveornamentation in the landscape; substantially as herein shown anddescribed.